Gold Coast: Australia Declare Missing Nigerian Athletes Wanted

Nigeria athletes who failed to return to the country after the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia face the risk of being deported according to authorities.

Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs, Peter Dutton gave the advice on Tuesday stating that eight athletes from Cameroon, two from Uganda and a Rwandan para-powerlifting coach went missing from the April 4-15 Games at the Gold Coast.

Reports also indicated that three Nigeria athletes including a coach did not return to the country after the games.  According to records their visas expired on May 15 which has made the authorities to declare them wanted.

“If they breach the conditions, they’re subject to enforcement action,” said Dutton. Some of the athletes had contacted a refugee advice centre in Sydney, the Daily Telegraph newspaper reported.

“Some have been to us for advice,” Ben Lumsdaine, a solicitor at the Refugee Advice and Casework Service, had said.

Australia’s immigration authorities often grant temporary ‘bridging’ visas that allow in-country residency applicants to remain while their cases are assessed. The eight Cameroon athletes comprised one-third of its 24-athlete delegation to the Gold Coast Game Illegal immigration is a highly contentious political issue in Australia.

Its hard-line immigration policy, which requires asylum seekers intercepted at sea to be sent for processing to camps in Papua New Guinea and Nauru, has been condemned by human rights groups.